Fishing reel



g- 1952 A. A. HOLLANDER FISHING REEL Filed June 29, 1950 mw'm,

Patented Aug. 19, 1952 7 FISHING REEL Albert A, Hollander, Weymouth, Mass. Application June 29, 1950, Serial No. 171,075

The present invention relates to fishingireels,

and more particularlyto improvements in drags therefore, to prevent backlash in castingfThe present application constitutes a continuation-in part of my copending application Serial N0. 1

line;

'To overcome this difficulty,'attemptshave been 'made to incorporate within the reel-structure various forms of drag devices, by which-fthe reel spool may be restrained lightly against free spinning -during casting. Thus, reels have-been'm'ade embodying within the reel structure a form' -of eddye'current braking. This however has resulted in a relatively complicated reel structure, of special design and therefore consider'ably more costly than the conventional equipment.

It is therefore an'object of the present invention to provide a reel drag of simple construction and arrangement, but nevertheless'highly effective in preventing overrunning of the reel during casting.

More specifically, the invention concerns the provision of a drag device that may readily be attached to existing types of fishing reels or incorporated as a built-in feature with but slight modification of the reel structure, to impart drag characteristics and backlash protection substantially as effective as afforded by the more complicated built-in drag devices.

To this end. the invention involves, according .to one of its features, the provision of a simple and compact accessory device, which may quickly beattached to a conventional reeland coupled to the spool thereof to provide a drag characteristic wherein the retarding force is function of speed,

so that an increase in the speed of the spool gives rise to a proportional increase in theretarding force. Such a characteristic is provided, in the reel of the illustrative embodiment. by viscous damping means, although the invention isnot, except as limited by the appended claims,

restricted to the use of viscous damping. I v Alternatively, the invention may be embodied in the reel structure as a built-in drag of simple 3 Claims, (Cl. 242-845) construction and arrangement 'employing fipreferably, viscous damping m'eanskand 'withffprovision for. simple but effective adj ustment of the drag characteristic in. thesame fashion as in :the accessory drag device". ;1 T

'The several features .of the invention-will. appear from. the following description, taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, in

.which' Fig. l is a plan view'of'iatypical fishing reel having the accessory device'ins'talled thereon, the device being shown in-section and 'a portion of the reel beingbrokenaway; Fig. 2' is an enlarged sectional view of the drag attachment shown in Fig. '1; Fig. 3 is a view of' a generally similar device, partly broken away to illustrate a difierent form of connector or adaptor-sleeve; Fig. 4 is an end view;:partly broken away,- or the device of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5'is. a detail plan view, largely'in section showing theend portion of a reel having the drag embodied within the reel structure as a built in feature.

As has already been indicated, the drag device illustrated in the drawings is of the viscous da'mp ing type, wherein a rotating element runsw'ithin and is retarded by a dampingfluid. The device illustrated in Figs. 1-4! comprises a cup-shaped housing or shell 8, the open end of which connects with the outwardly extending flange ill, of sleeve l2 to form a shortcylindrical chamber ,ll. Within this chamber is a rotor I-B with clearance provided between the casing and the end faces oi the rotor, and around the periphery of the rotor,

as illustrated. The rotor is illustrated as a-solid disc, but it is obvious thata-vaned rotor maylbe employed where somewhat greater drag-is desired. Alternatively, other'forms of damping than the .fluid type may be employed,lin' which event the housing 8 couldbe omitted, leaving the. flanged member In as the stationary member or stator of the damping means.

-The rotor is secured to the end of a short shaft [8 journaled in a bore extending axially of the sleeve [2. A felt washer [9 assists sealing against loss of damping fluid aroundjthe shaft. The outer end, portion of the",bore,'is slightly enlarged at 20 to provide clearance'for the shaft end 22, which is' of 'slig'litlygreater diameter than the inner portion ofthe shaft, The shaft end jiscounter-bored toform ajsock et ,2! having'an internal diameter that will provide 'a frictional lit with the outer end of the; shaft of the r l 1 .91 h wh hh devi e. i -liQIb'ii, s d- To 'facilitatesuch frictional engagement, the shaft end 22 in the region of the counterbore may tub shaft 34 ofthespool 36 fits within the socket 24 of shaft I8, and-theTlattenibeing journaled in the sleeve I2, provides the bearing for the 0111;-

board end of the spool, in place of the conventional end bearing (similar to .the bearing "46* shown in the other end plate 48) that was;--re-- moved to permit attachment of the ,drag device. To assist in retaining the device in "position on the reel, a coil spring 4011s preferably -an.

ranged on the sleeve within a cup-shaped shroud 42 so as to bear againstthe reel end plate when the drag device is screwed into place. By reason of' 'the frictional engagement provided by'the spring,.the device is. held against free rotation "relative .to'the reel' even though the sleeve may :not-rhave been screwed into the end plate to'the limit of the threads. However, the device may be rotated; when desired,zto vary the clearance between onefa'ce of the rotor and the end' wall of the housing andthereby .permit adjustment of the amount of drag developed to suit various weightsofi fishing plugs.- To this end, the axial clearancegbetweenthe enlarged end 2-2 of shaft -:l8 and the bore Zllpermits shifting the position *offithe rotorfli' within the housing. by screwing orwunscrewing'the device a turn or .two' within .jtherreel :end'plate.

JASU'hasJa-Ireadybeen indicated,ithe drag is of the-viscous type, and tot-his end the space-between the rotor and the "housing is substantially sfilled with'a fluid, such'as a light oil, preferably .-one having a relatively lowlviscosity index so as to minimize theeffects of temperature variations on thedrag characteristics. Thus, it has been foundsatisfactory' to "employ a :relatively light-grade of motor oil, or one of the silicone -fiuids or 'oils. If desired, provision may be made for replenishing the liquid through a filler hole closed by a screw 50.

It willfbe apparent that the drag device illustrated and describedis highly effective to accomplish its intended'purpose, for it provides direct connection to the reel spool without the use of intermediate driving means such as gears or belts. Furthermore, there is no increase in bearing' -frictiQn, nor any alignment problemjsince 'the 'device embodies a single bearing that serves the bearing for the rotorand also for'the spool, replacing the end bearing-originally pres- ;enti Furthermore, the presence of the damping :fluid insures effective. lubrication of 'thebearing.

The result is a .smooth. running device that provides enough dragaor retardation at'high speed toprevent' overrunningof the reel at the endrof a cast, yet adds littleif anydrag or friction at cranking speeds. Consequently, the device-may be left on the reel, and no clutch .or ,disconnectis necessary.

.It will bev apparent that installation of the device is extremely simple; it is. only necessary touinscrew the.en d bearing from the end plate awayfrom the crank and insert the threaded end inits place. .As the device is screwed in, .the, splinedsocket 24 is forced onto the shaft of j'thereeL. After the limitof theinsertion has been leached. .thedevice .be backed off to free theareeL. iust as with the conventional bearend bearing with internal threads.

4 ing, and to provide clearance for the rotor within the housing. 7 Through rotation of the housing, the clearance is adjustable to vary the end spacing between rotor'and housing, and thereby to increase or decrease the amount of viscous drag provided.

As, an alternative to the construction shown in Fig. 2, the modification shown in Fig. 3 may be, employed, for use with. reels that employ an Thus, the sleeve 12 is internally threaded at 52, the construction in other respects being identical with that illustrated in Fig. 3.

It is obvious that suitable modifications in the sleeve I2 may be made to adapt the device for connection to'reels having other than standard forms'of bearingmountings, so that the device may readily be attached merely by removing the original bearing and inserting the drag device in its place, and without injuring or modifying the -reel structure in any way.

. The several features of the drag may be embodied in a built-instructure, if desired, with onlythe-drag adjustment knob exposed. Such a construction is illustrated in Fig. 5 wherein the reel end plate '60 is formed with a rim 62 to define a shallow chamber outwardly of the spoolfiange 6 Securedto the spool shaft 65 is a-rotor 6-8within a housing formed by flange .10 and cover 12 and. containing the damping fluid. Like the previously described constructions, the housing is adjustable in an axial directiontoyvary the drag, with the-housing likewise providingthe end bearing for the spool.

The'fiange end!!! of the housing is, for-this purposeprovided with an extension portion 14 externally threaded to be received within the threaded passage in the end plate 60. A bore 16 within'the portion'liprovides the spool and bearing, with the depth of bore sufiicient to per- .mit anappreciable range of adjustment of the housing relative to the sides of the rotor, without causing binding of the spool shaft 66 withinthe bearing. 'A'knurled end 18 secured to the extension M permits adjustment readily to be made, with coil spring providing suincient friction to retain the parts in adjusted position. Like the previously described externally mounted accessory drag, the in-built embodi- .ment. makes use of a-combined fluid housing and end bearing assembly axially adjustablexto vary the degree of damping or drag to .suitzthe requirements of the individual 'user. There results, in, each of the :arrangements, 9. simple, compact, but highly effective-means for impartingpthe preferred-drag characteristic to minimize over-run and back lash, without unnecessarily limiting the east through excessive *re- .sistance.

While I have described my invention in terms of a device employing viscous drag; it will be understood that the invention is not solimited, but comprehends accessory drag devices adapted for attachment to conventional fishing reelsin the manner disclosed and described, and embodying other forms of drag or damping between housing and rotor.

I claim as my invention'i:

1. In a fishing reel having a spool and end plates f'or supporting said spool, a housing having spaced, walls, :a rotor within the housing, said rotor consisting. of a solidiof revolution about its axis'of rotation, the:rotor and the housing having spaced, substantially smooth complementary surfaces,- means connecting ,the :rotor to the spool for rotation therewith, damping liquid within the housing for imparting viscous drag to the rotor upon rotation thereof, and means extending from the housing into screwthreaded connection with the reel end plate for supporting the housing in coaxial relation to the spool, said means being rotatable externally of the end plate to vary the spacing between said complementary surfaces of rotor and housing to control the amount of viscous drag imparted to the rotor by the damping fluid.

2. A viscous drag device for fishing reels comprising a housing having spaced walls, a rotor within said housing, said rotor consisting of a solid of revolution about its axis of rotation, the rotor and the housing having spaced. substantially smooth complementary surfaces, damping liquid within said housing, a threaded sleeve projecting from said housing for mounting the housing on the end plate of a fishing reel in place of the end bearing thereof, a shaft journalled within the sleeve portion of the device and carrying at one end the rotor, and a resilient socket on the shaft at the opposite end from the rotor, said socket being pressed onto the shaft end of the reel spool when the sleeve of the housing is screwed into the reel end plate.

3. A viscous drag device for fishing reels comprising a housing having spaced walls, a rotor within said housing in spaced relation to said walls, damping liquid within the housing, a screw-threaded sleeve projecting from the housing to make connection with the threaded fitting of the reel end plate in place of the reel end bearing, a shaft connected at one end to the rotor and extending through the threaded sleeve, the shaft and rotor having limited axial movement relative to the housing to vary the spacing between rotor and housing, means at the end of the shaft in the vicinity of the threaded end of the sleeve for connecting the shaft to the reel spool end when the device is screwed into the reel endplate, said housing being rotatable relative to the reel end plate to vary the thickness of the liquid layer intermediate rotor and housing.

ALBERT A. HOLLANDERL REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,005,154 Catucci Oct. 10. 1911 2,198,231 Schafer Apr. 23, 1940 2,285,493 Clickner June 9, 1942 2,347,173 Coxe et a1. Apr. 25, 1944 2,419,372 Schneider Apr. 22, 1947 2,443,249 Jackson June 15, 1948 2,443,294 Bickle June 15, 1948 2,508,217 Brell May 16, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15,670 of 1910 Great Britain Apr. 13, 1911 

